Targeted Drug Delivery to the Cornea of the Eye Via Medicated Contact Lenses and Mucoadhesive Thin Films

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A healthy cornea, the clear tissue at the front of the eye, is essential for vision. If it becomes infected or diseased, however, vision can be lost. Infection can occur because of viruses, parasites, fungi or bacteria, and the problem is serious. A bacterial infection of the eye called trachoma, as one example, is the world's leading cause of preventable blindness. It is highly contagious, with around 41 million people, mostly women and children in the developing world, infected. Traditionally, eye drops containing medicines are used to treat corneal disease or infection, but this is highly inefficient because the drug is immediately diluted by tears and most of the dose is washed away within a few blinks. Our research will develop drug-loaded contact lenses and purpose-made biodegradable thin films that can be applied to the eye for the effective and controlled-release delivery of disease-specific medications to the cornea to treat a wide range of potentially blinding conditions.